CostMine conducts periodic surveys of compensation practices at coal, metal, industrial mineral, and aggregate mines in Canada , the U.S. , and other locations. The results of these surveys are available in individual reports described in our Labor Compensation Reports section. Abbreviated versions of these reports for Canada and the U.S. also appear in Mining Cost Service. Included in our current surveys are 193 U.S. mines, 53 Canadian mines and 155 exploration offices in 31 countries. The following table briefly summarizes the 2006 survey results for the U.S. metal, industrial mineral and coal mines.
2006 Annual Mining Cost Service U.S. Mine Labor Survey
Wage and Benefit Summary
Surface and Underground Coal, Metal, and Industrial Mineral Mines - All U.S.
| Number of mines
|
| Partially or fully paid by company |
# of mines |
# of mines
|
| Life insurance |
82 |
104 |
| Medical insurance |
84 |
107 |
| Dental insurance |
82 |
100 |
| Vision insurance |
76 |
89 |
| Retirement benefits |
84 |
104 |
| Sick leave |
66 |
52 |
| Disability Income Insurance |
80 |
91 |
| |
|
|
| Mines with incentive bonus plans |
52 |
67 |
| Wages increased in last 12 months |
81 |
+2.7% |
100 |
+3.4% |
| Wages decreased in last 12 months |
0 |
|
0 |
|
| No change in wages in last 12 months |
3 |
0% |
9 |
0% |
| Number of paid holidays per year |
6 - 13 |
11 |
0 - 13 |
10 |
| Paid life insurance coverage |
12K - 80K |
52K |
2K – 88K |
41K |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Number of days vacation provided after the following years service |
| 1 yr |
5 - 16 |
9 |
0 - 15 |
8 |
| 3 yr |
5 - 16 |
10 |
0 - 15 |
9 |
| 5 yr |
10 - 18 |
13 |
0 - 18 |
13 |
| 10 yr |
14 - 23 |
17 |
0 - 22 |
16 |
| 15 yr |
14 - 28 |
20 |
0 - 25 |
18 |
| 20 yr |
14 - 29 |
22 |
0 - 25 |
20 |
| 25/plus |
14 - 30 |
24 |
0 - 25 |
20 |
| Total cost of benefits as a % of wages paid, incl. workers comp., unemployment insurance, soc. sec. and others |
20% - 87% |
46% |
23% - 74% |
39% |
| Shift differential paid |
|
|
|
|
| Evening ($/hour) |
.15 - .85 |
.40 |
.20 – .75 |
.39 |
| Night ($/hour) |
.20 – 2.00 |
.57 |
.25 – 1.25 |
.54 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Benchmark hourly wages ($/hour) |
|
|
|
|
| Laborer - surface mine |
9.35-27.82 |
18.37 |
7.00-21.51 |
13.61 |
| Laborer - underground mine |
11.92-26.49 |
18.77 |
10.00-23.66 |
14.36 |
| Mill equipment operator |
12.36-30.68 |
18.69 |
10.34-25.65 |
15.81 |
| Stationary equipment op. |
19.84-26.30 |
20.74 |
11.85-25.75 |
21.86 |
| Mechanic - surface mine |
12.44-30.09 |
21.15 |
11.50-27.50 |
18.88 |
| Electrician - UG mine |
16.00-32.67 |
22.74 |
14.00-27.56 |
19.73 |
| Equipment operator - UG |
13.75-32.19 |
20.18 |
11.25-24.72 |
17.21 |
| Production truck driver |
11.00-28.48 |
20.54 |
9.00-24.78 |
16.06 |
| Heavy equip. operator-surface (excludes dragline/strip shovel) |
11.71-30.09 |
20.86 |
9.00-25.75 |
16.84 |
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